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EPIC CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS, LLC

hazardous_liquid Incident — — October 29, 2019

Incident Information

Incident DateOctober 29, 2019
OperatorEPIC CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS, LLC
CommodityHVL OR OTHER FLAMMABLE OR TOXIC FLUID WHICH IS A GAS AT AMBI
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates28.26072, -97.71679

Cause

CauseEQUIPMENT FAILURE
SubcauseOTHER EQUIPMENT FAILURE

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage$10,000
Emergency Response$40,000
Other Costs$0

Location Map

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 09:00AM ON OCTOBER 29, 2019, EPIC OPERATOR RANDY MOORE AND A CONTRACT CREW WERE PERFORMING BI-ANNUAL VALVE INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE ON MLBV #3 LOCATED IN BEE COUNTY, TEXAS. AFTER PUMPING GREASE INTO ONE OF THE FILLINGS ON THE MLBV BODY THE CREW REMOVED THE GREASE HOSE AND A SMALL VAPOR CLOUD BEGAN TO FORM FROM THE FITTING. THE GREASE FITTING FAILED TO RE-SEAT AFTER REMOVING THE HOSE. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10-BBLS OF NGL RELEASE AT THE SITE AND AN ICE-BALL FORMED AROUND THE FITTING AND SEALED IT OFF. THE LINE SEGMENT WAS ISOLATED AND THEN BLOWN DOWN THROUGH TWO CONTROLLED FLARES. AFTER THE PRESSURE WAS RELEASED THE GREASE FITTING WAS REPLACED AND THE LINE WAS PUT BACK INTO SERVICE. THERE WERE NO FATALITIES, INJURIES, FIRES, OR EXPLOSIONS AS A RESULT OF THE RELEASE. MR. MOORE PROVIDED TRAFFIC CONTROL UNTIL BEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND TOOK OVER TRAFFIC CONTROL. AFTER THE LINE SEGMENT WAS ISOLATED, AN UPSTREAM METER SKID HAD A HIGH-PRESSURE EVENT THAT CAUSED A PSV TO ACTUATE AND 50-BBLS OF NGL WERE FLARED THROUGH ANOTHER OPERATOR'S FLARE THAT THE OPP WAS PIPED INTO, NO PRODUCT WAS RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THE PIPELINE SYSTEM DID NOT EXCEED 110% OF THE MOP AT ANY TIME. THE FAILED GREASE FITTING HAS BEEN SENT TO BE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. PRELIMINARY VISUAL LEADS TO UNKNOWN DEBRIS OBSTRUCTING THE SEATING MECHANISM OF THE GREASE FITTING. ONCE THE FITTING HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY A THIRD-PARTY EPIC WILL COMPLETE THE INVESTIGATION AND DEVELOP A MITIGATION PLAN TO PREVENT FUTURE RE-OCCURRENCE OF THE FAILURE, IF POSSIBLE AND/OR APPLICABLE. UPDATE: IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE GREASE FITTING IS IN GOOD CONDITION AND SHOWS NO EVIDENCE OF WHY IT FAILED. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS UNKNOWN DEBRIS OBSTRUCTING THE SEATING MECHANISM OF THE FITTING AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. TO MITIGATE FUTURE RE-OCCURRENCE OF THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE EPIC HAS REVISED ITS VALVE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE AND IMPLEMENTED IT INTO THEIR O&M MANUAL.

About This Pipeline Incident

Pipeline incident data is reported to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). All significant incidents involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage over $50,000 must be reported.

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